The Military Council has maintained its refusal to withdrawtroops from Napyochaung (Nghapyawchaung) and Phayonchaung villages, located inRakhine State's Buthidaung Township.

Their firm stance is grounded in the fact that thesevillages were previously captured from the Arakan Army (AA).

On November 26th of the previous year, an informal ceasefireagreement was reached between the Military Council and AA. Only a week later,at the beginning of December, the Military Council troops entered theaforementioned villages and established their presence.

Following the desertion of 4 troops from the 22nd Divisionstationed in the villages on April 30th of this year, the Military Council hastaken a harsh stance. As of May 4th, they have forcefully driven out thevillagers, preventing them from continuing to live in their native villages.

Following their takeover of the villages, the MilitaryCouncil prevented local villagers from entering their homes and prohibited themfrom cultivating crops in the surrounding farmlands, locals told Narinjara.

Upon the villagers' request to return to their homes, theMilitary Council responded by asserting their refusal to relinquish control ofthe villages, as they had captured these settlements from AA after engaging incombat, a Phayonchaung villager who did not want to be named revealed.

"They reassured us that they would find solutions toour previous complaints, but in the end, they bluntly stated that they won'tleave the villages. The soldiers claimed they took control of the villages fromAA after intense clashes”, he said.

Due to the prohibition of living in their own villages andengaging in farming activities, the locals are left unemployed and facenumerous hardships in their livelihoods.

According to a woman from Phayonchaung village, seekingrefuge in the refugee camps opened in the urban suburbs poses many challengesfor them.

"We considered seeking refuge in the town, but most ofus cannot work there to earn income. Besides, the amount of rice provided inthe camps won't be sufficient for us. In our native villages, food isn't amajor concern as we can rely on fishing and gathering vegetables from the wild.That’s why we don't want to leave our villages, and settling in town requires alot of money”, she said.

Due to being evicted by the Military Council, villagers whocan no longer live in their own villages are finding temporary shelter withtheir relatives in nearby villages.

Narinjara reached out to Rakhine State Security and Border AffairsMinister Colonel Kyaw Thura to inquire about the unjust occupation of thevillages but did not receive a reply.

Phayonchaung consists of 18 households, while Napyochaunghas 23, making the combined population of the two villages over 100.